Business case: How schools can profit from doing more good

Business case: How schools can profit from doing more good

Organisations have huge environmental and social impacts and the standards they set play a large part in determining whether we continue to exist on a thriving or decimated planet.

Sustainable practice is a competitive edge

Smart companies realise this and are turning to sustainable practices to protect their resources, their stakeholders and their future. Companies like Patagonia and Ecovative (who create packaging for IKEA out of mushrooms) are building their reputation by questioning outdated, inefficient practices that cause more harm than good. They are providing some excellent models schools can use to reduce operational costs, innovate and build community. So, where to begin?

Successful sustainability programs start with an understanding of issues and opportunities which requires little more than a team with a vision, resources and the collection of baseline data.

Schools generally consume large amounts of energy, water and resources while creating piles of waste and significant negative impacts that result from purchasing and development decisions.

You need to identify economic returns

Audits we have conducted so far show that most schools lack a basic awareness of how energy and water is used onsite, what proportion is used out of hours or their options for improvement, meaning they pay more and cause more environmental impact. Simply analysing trends in energy and water bills can help identify opportunities to reduce costs in these areas by 20-40%. SA Water has shown that many organisations (including schools) have leaks in their system of between 2-15L per minute. A leak of 5L per minute costs an estimated $8700 per year (and rising).

Its more than just business

Water, waste, biodiversity, well-being, social equity and engagement and the creation of innovative future ready schools can be tackled in the same manner when you have a vision, a team, the right information and a plan.

The world is waking up to the mess we are in and more innovative and imaginative solutions to our problems are coming online thick and fast. It’s not hard to ask the right questions and get a detailed overview of the systems and programs schools already have in place and where your opportunities lie.

Our health check audit can help quickly identify your opportunities and risks. Contact Dan to get started or connect via LinkedIn to stay up to date with innovation in this space.

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Testimonials

“Dan has worked with TLS on designing a whole site master plan for our Sustainable Outdoor Learning Environments program which we are now beginning to implement. His detailed knowledge of environmental design issues, understanding of operating in a school environment and contribution to curriculum delivery has been extremely important to us and we look forward to continuing to work with him over the coming years.”Mark Clayton (Business Manager, Tanunda Lutheran School)